Secretary of State’s Feb. 28 visit comes as ‘full forces’ for potential action expected by mid-March, officials say
WASHINGTON – 19 February 2026 – Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Israel next week to brief Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the latest developments in US-Iran nuclear negotiations, even as the Trump administration rushes military resources to the region and signals potential action against Tehran.
Two administration officials confirmed Wednesday that Rubio is expected to meet with Netanyahu on February 28, discussions that will focus on two rounds of indirect talks recently held between American and Iranian officials. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as the diplomatic travel has not been formally announced.
The high-stakes visit unfolds against a backdrop of significant military movement, with dozens of US fighter jets – including F-35s, F-22s and F-16s – departing bases in the United States and Europe for the Middle East in recent days, according to the Military Air Tracking Alliance (MATA), a team of open-source analysts.
Diplomatic Window or Military Countdown?
Following this week’s Geneva talks, Iran has agreed to prepare a written proposal addressing US concerns raised during the negotiations, according to a senior US official who was not authorized to speak publicly.
That official revealed that top national security officials gathered Wednesday in the White House Situation Room, where they were briefed that the “full forces” necessary for potential military action are expected to be in place by mid-March. No timeline was provided for when Iran’s written response might be delivered.
Despite the military movements, diplomats from both nations have offered cautious optimism. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi suggested “a new window has opened” for reaching an agreement.
US Vice President JD Vance offered a more measured assessment in a Tuesday interview with Fox News Channel.
“In some ways, it went well,” Vance said of the Geneva talks. “But in other ways, it was very clear that the president has set some red lines that the Iranians are not yet willing to actually acknowledge and work through.”
Netanyahu’s Demands
Last week’s White House visit by Netanyahu saw the Israeli leader urge President Donald Trump to ensure any nuclear agreement also addresses Iran’s ballistic missile program and its funding for proxy groups including Hamas and Hezbollah.
Trump has publicly mused about regime change, telling reporters Friday that a change in power in Iran “seems like that would be the best thing that could happen,” adding, “For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking and talking.”
Massive Military Build-Up
The administration has dispatched the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, from the Caribbean to join a second carrier and other warships already positioned in the region.
MATA researchers have tracked more than 85 fuel tankers and over 170 cargo planes heading into the region. Support aircraft including six early-warning E-3 planes – critical for coordinating large-scale operations – have been observed heading to a base in Saudi Arabia, pulled from locations in Japan, Germany and Hawaii.
Steffan Watkins, a Canada-based researcher and MATA member, confirmed the aircraft movements, underscoring the unprecedented scale of the US military buildup as diplomatic efforts continue.
